1957 Chris Craft Cavalier / Paint removal

[James OD]

Hello All I’m new to this site and boating. I stumbled across this boat. The family did not want it and the owner could not get in and out of the boat easily any more. It’s cavalier, it has 4.3 gm transplanted , at some point I was made into a two seater. It’s in nice shape.

I have experience through furniture restoration and cabinetry work. I want to remove the paint on the sides of the boat. I want to apply a commercial stripper No aircraft stripper ,then use fine grey scotch Brite sprayed with acetone to remove any paint residue, block the plywood with 340, condition the wood , apply the filler stain and varnish. The bottom of the boat is gel coat now. I found the line and will stay 2” away with the stripper .

I can see the grain of the plywood under the paint. I don’t think it’s damaged. I was concerned with blotching once the stain is applied . My friend has done a lot of mahogany through his restoration business and has not had blotting problems with good conditioner and removing all of the paint. We have never worked on a wooden boat. I’m looking for anybody here who has done this job on the cavalier boats and had success. I’m wondering what technique they used ? And if it’s possible.

I want to stay away from painting if possible

 

[gonzo]

Removing the paint and staining is not different than from furniture. However, they may be joints and screw heads showing under the paint. For hulls that were painted, the screw heads were usually covered with putty. Are you sure the bottom has gelcoat? That would mean it was fiberglassed at some point in the past. From the photos it looks like the usual bronze bottom paint.

 

[James OD]

It’s back to work for two weeks. Once I get back home I will begin the process of getting started and keep the post going with more pics. Thanks Gonzo for your input and answering back. Greatly appreciated. I’m an amateur with no wood experience. There is a lot of people here with knowledge. I love this boat.

 

[fallguy]

I refinished a boat to bright. I used a heat gun, and a plywood scraper. You gotta avoid fume breathing and scorching the wood. But I don’t really like using stripper. It is messy and easy to get on the bottom and ruin the bottom work, so you’ll need to mask you and boat. I’d use stripper for any stubborn areas.

For filled screw holes; you’ll need to see how deep they are and either embrace a pigmented color fill or bung them if deep enough.

 

[James OD]

I was just wondering if you could post a picture of the plywood scraper. I have a heat gun. Nearing the end of its life. That being I think it’s time for a new one. I haven’t really used heat guns. Always chemical stripped. If you don’t mind possibly explaining at what point you try and scrape it off? Is the paint hot warm, is the gun held on angle to push the heat out. How far away would you hold it?

 

[James OD]

I was wondering if you could go into a bit more detail on scorching the wood. I take it you mean the stripper is left on too long, the wood absorbs the stripper and then it won’t accept stain or the stain is blotchy ?

 

[fallguy]

I was wondering if you could go into a bit more detail on scorching the wood. I take it you mean the stripper is left on to long , the wood absorbs the stripper and then it won’t accept stain or the stain is blotchy ?

No. Scorching is with the heat gun.

 

[fallguy]

I was just wondering if you could post a picture of the plywood scraper. I have a heat gun. Nearing the end of its life. That being I think it’s time for a new one. I haven’t really used heat guns. Always chemical stripped. If you don’t mind possibly explaining at what point you try and scrape it off? Is the paint hot warm, is the gun held on angle to push the heat out. How far away would you hold it?

I cut a 2” or so wide piece of 6mm okume plywood and sand it sharp with a belt sander.

Then heat the paint and you’ll adapt to the right time to scrape. Maybe make the scraper about 12” long otherwise your hand will get too much heat.

 

[James OD]

Awesome! Thank you for that man! Cheers!

 

[Blueknarr]

My 2 cents

Be fore warned that boats are often painted to hide colorful flaws in wood. That may be difficult to remove for a bright finish.

Chemical strippers often push a paints pigments deep into wood.

Excessive heat burns hands and wood. Creates noxious fumes. Can even start fires.

Sanding creates dust a hazard and can remove veneers.
Scotch Brite can catch and pull splinters.

Pick your poison.

I'm with Fallguy, in preferring heat with wooden scrapers that are less likely to gouge than metal ones.

 

[James OD]

All good point there. Thank you. Theres a chance it won’t work out for sure. If it doesn’t nice clean slate to repaint with a bit of Sanding before hand. It will be interesting to se what happens. I don’t have any okume at the store in my city I was thinking of trying a mahogany scraper or something g else hard .

 

[Blueknarr]

Almost any scrap wood will do. I often use paint store sticks

Sometimes I shape them to match the hulls curve.

 

[James OD]

Here’s a good burn story for all. I’m a welder. I was doing a weld on a pressure vessel nozzle. Hit the fillet with a buffer and Hot slag from 1/4 rod burning at 270 amps went down my shirt and some how burned my balls. Well boys I don’t like burns for sure! Great point being raised on using a heat gun burning the wood and your self ! I’m thinking welding full gauntlet gloves for sure!

 

[James OD]

I was wondering if anybody has tried this line of heat guns from Wagner? I was thinking of trying this. It has good reviews and multiple settings. It has some nozzles to deflect the heat out. Has any one tried this or can recommend a decent gun at a decent price.

 

[gonzo]

You have to be really carefull with a heat gun. It is easy to burn the wood surface. A heat gun with temperature settings is ideal. You can start low and then go up as needed. I use metal scrapers with a heat gun.